Brave
by curiousscientistkae
Summary: She hasn't always been the fearless brawler people have come to know her by. There was a time Yang was afriad. Heck, even today she still become afriad. But she always remembers what her mother said to her one night when she was a child.


**If you can't tell, I really love the Yang and Summer realtionship. It needs more love.**

* * *

Yang looks out the window. The winds howls louder than a pack of Beowolves. The bare branches of a tree scrape across the window, hurting Yang's ears. Sometimes the branches tap against the glass and Yang fears that they will break through.

The shadows in her room take shapes that send shivers down Yang's spine. She sees creatures of Grimm and monsters from her story book. She knows that they are not real. She knows that her mind is just playing tricks on her but she is still afraid. _Come on Yang. You're a big girl now! Stop being a scardy cat._

She looks over towards the bed on the other side of the room. Her younger sister sleeps peacefully. Even at three Ruby is a heavy sleeper. Only a Grimm crashing through the house could possibly wake her. But Yang isn't as heavy as a sleeper. She isn't light, more like medium.

Suddenly her room becomes filled in a bright, blinding, white light. It is quickly followed by what sounds like a large bomb going off. This is enough to send Yang running from her room. She darts into her parents' room and climbs between them. Immediately her mother wakes up—for the most part. Still in a fog of sleep, Summer looks down at the shaking girl under her covers.

"Yang, what are you doing sweetheart?" She groggily asks.

A clap of thunder answers for Yang. Summer looks outside and sees the dark and stormy world that Patch has become. Rubbing away last bit of sleep in her eyes, Summer cradles her daughter in her arms.

"Shh, shh, shh Yang. It's okay." Summer rocks back and forth and rubs Yang's back to calm her down. "I've got you. Nothing is going to hurt you."

Yang mumbles something into Summer's body. The woman cannot pick up on what she has said. She simply hugs Yang tighter. "It's okay Yang. It's just a thunderstorm."

"How…How can I be a huntress if…if I am afraid of a storm?" Yang speaks up.

Summer turns her head. Taiyang is snoring away, unaware of the storm outside or the fact his daughter has entered the room. She swears the he can sleep through a tornado ripping the house up and sending it somewhere else. He will be of no use to helping calm Yang

Then Summer remembers something. Gently she removes Yang's face from her body and wipes away the tears that have fallen down her face. "Wanna know a secret?" Summer whispers. Yang nods. "I use to be afraid of thunderstorms also. And the dark, and the Grimm, and many, _many_ other things."

Yang's lilac eyes widen. How can her mother be afraid of anything? She has never seen Summer scared before. She has either seen her mother being kind and loving or strong and powerful when she shows off her skills to her daughters. Maybe once Yang has seen her mother not like that but that was when Ruby tripped and hurt herself. Even then she was composed and gentle.

"You? Afraid?" Yang shakes her head. "How can you be afraid?"

"We are not born warriors Yang. We all have our fears, our doubts, and our worries. Even today there are things I am afraid of. All great hunters and huntress have their fears that can cripple them and make them weak on the battlefield."

"But, how do you overcome them? How are you so strong if you are so afraid?"

"Because of you. You, Ruby, Tai, and Qrow and everyone else I care for. I fight to protect you guys. I overcome my fears because I want to make sure that I can come home to see my girls and boys. One of my greatest fears is that I will not be able to return and leave you all behind. You are the reason why I keep fighting, why I overcome my fears.

"You are still so young Yang. It's okay to be afraid and frighten. The world is like that. But I know you will find what drives you to overcome your fears. We all have something we are afraid of and we all have something that will makes us overcome those fears even if it is for the briefest of moments. One little spark is all you need to light the flames of bravery we all have. You'll find yours one day Yang." Summer gives her daughter a kiss then another tight hug.

The room lights up and moments later thunder follows it. Yang only jumps a little, thinking about what her mother has just told her and feeling safe in Summer's warm arms. The child looks up at her mother. "Can I sleep with and Daddy tonight? I'm still scared."

"Sure Yang. Sure."

Summer and Yang cuddle up together on the bed. Safe in her mother's arms, Yang no longer feels afraid of the storm raging on outside. Yang peacefully slips into sleep besides her mother.

The next day, when the storm has died down and school is out of session, Yang walks with her sister back home. The blonde child pulls her sister down a safe path—no Grimm will come here—in a tin red wagon. It is not all too terribly a walk back home. Ten minutes top. But after a couple of minutes of walking, Yang stops.

In the middle of the pathway is a large and thick tree. It has fallen smack in the middle of the road, blocking any travel. Yang doesn't remember it being down this morning. It must have fallen when she was in school.

There is no way around it. The tree must be at least over one-hundred feet tall. Many trees on Patch are like skyscrapers, towering over everything and making you feel like an ant. Yang cannot see any of the ends. She does know that if she steps off the path she will be entering brush and she doesn't want to get stuck or hurt. She definitely doesn't want Ruby to get cut up.

"Hey Ruby, we are going to take a different pathway home, okay?" Yang tells Ruby. The younger girl only nods as she plays with a toy in her hands.

Turning the wagon around, Yang backtracks her steps. She knows of another pathway back home that is a little bit away. It is much longer, however, and much more bumpy. Yang hopes Ruby doesn't mind being bounced around a little. It also is a darker path. While it may be free of Grimm, the tree are packed so close together, little sunlight is able to get through. And many of the trees are dead and barren of their leaves, making them look even scarier. But she needs to get home before dark. The sun is already starting to fall in the sky. It doesn't like to stay up all that long in the fall.

She reaches it. The pathway is still as dark, long, and winding as Yang pictured it. Yang shallows a lump and looks back at her sister. Ruby is nervous. She has never been down this way. The younger girl clutches her toy close to her and even has her hood up.

All of Yang's fear suddenly disappears. Her sister needs her at the moment. She cannot be afraid for her sister's sake. Before heading down the road Yang reassures her sister. "We are going to be just fine. There is nothing to worry about. I'm here to keep you safe."

Ruby only nods as Yang starts walking. At first the path isn't so bad. Yang does tell Ruby it will be bumpier and Ruby does holds on tighter to the wagon. But as the sun dips farther and farther into the horizon the girl becomes more worried. But she keeps moving forward. If she becomes afraid, who will be there to protect her sister? She did tell her everything will be okay, and it will. Yang is going to make sure of that.

The sky has turned from a light blue to a bright orange by the time Yang stops for a breath. She has no idea how long she has been walking but her little legs are shaking. She needs a rest or she will not be able to make it all the way home.

"You okay Yang?" Ruby asks.

"I'm fine Ruby. Just need a breath."

"I'm scared Yang. Where's home?"

"Close. I promise. We will be home soon, I promise. Everything is going to be alright. I promise you there is nothing to worry about. I'm here. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good…I think I got my breath back. Let's go."

Yang begins walking again. She is only able to make it a few more minutes before her legs begin to shake once more. But Yang keeps pushing. Night will fall soon and that will not be good. She needs to get home now.

A noise makes Yang stop. She listens carefully. There is rustling to her right side. Instinct to protect her sister kicks in. She has heard of stories of Grimm entering the safe zone of Patch and terrorizing the humans and faunus that live here. Even if she is only a small child going up against a massive monster that haunts her dreams, she will protect her sister at all cost.

Reaching down she picks up a small but sturdy stick. It's better than nothing. The rustling comes again, much louder this time. Yang stands in front of the wagon, feet firmly on the ground, hands clutching the stick so tight her knuckles are white, all the while keeping her body in front of Ruby, shielding her.

A giant blur shoots out from the trees and bushes. In a flash, Yang feels herself being lifted up into the air. Reacting as quick as she can she swigs her stick as she is lift up, feeling herself get a few blows in when she stops. A white rose petal floats past her eyes. The haze of rage that clouded Yang's eyes in order to protect Ruby lifts and she sees a pair of silver eyes looking at her, tears streaming down them.

"Oh thank god I found you two!" Summer holds Yang close to her before bending down to embrace Ruby. "I was so worried about you two when you didn't come home on time. Where in god's name were you? I was searching all over the island for you!"

Summer's voice is filled with panic, sadness, and there is a hint of anger. Yang gulps and answers her mother. "A really, really, really big tree blocked our path we take home. I couldn't find a way around it so I went down that really long path that leads back home."

"Yang! Why didn't you-" Before Summer can say anything else Ruby springs free of her arms.

"Don't get mad at Yang, Mommy! She still was bringing us home and she wasn't afraid. Even when I was getting scared of all those spooky looking trees, she was being brave. Even before we knew it was you making that noise, she was ready to fight whoever it was to keep me safe."

Summer clutches her head. Yang has one hell of a swing. She sighs. Ruby is right. She shouldn't get mad. Yang did do what she thought was right, even if it wasn't the best of plans. But she still is only five years old. "I'm sorry Ruby. I was just so worried…I thought I lost you two. I was so worried…I was so scared…I was…"

Summer can say no more before she breaks down in tears, holding both Yang and Ruby close to her. Yang wraps her arms around her mother neck, trying to bring her some comfort.

"I'm sorry to make you cry and worry Mommy. I didn't mean too." She says.

"I know you didn't Yang. You…You did good protecting your little sister. I'm very proud of you. Just promise me…Promise me you'll be a little more careful? You are still so little."

"I promise Mommy. I promise."

"Good." Summer lets go of her girls and wipes away the tears from her face. She clears her throat and stands. "Let's go home, alright?"

Summer takes Yang and Ruby back home where the two girls receive the same treatment from Taiyang and Qrow that their mother gave them. Ruby tells both her father and uncle what Yang did as if she was telling an epic fairy tale. Yang just stands in silence, only nodding in agreement with her ecstatic younger sister.

Later on, when Yang is alone in her room, Summer enters it. Yang says nothing as her mother sits down on her bed. "You know I'm not mad at you Yang." Summer says. "If it seemed like I was, I was scared. I told you last night one of my greatest fears was that I could never protect the ones I love and I could never come home to them. But the fear that can keeps me up at night, the one that I fear the most, is if something happened to you or Ruby. I couldn't live with myself if something bad were to happen to either of you two.

"You did what you thought was best Yang. You did what you could to protect Ruby and make sure she and you came home safe. I couldn't've asked for more from you."

"How's your head?" Yang asks.

Summer chuckles a little as she rubs it. "I little sore but I will be fine. Nothing to worry about."

"Ruby is my spark. She is the reason why I didn't show my fear. I was so afraid of going on that strange path but I had to be brave for her so she wasn't afraid."

"You did good Yang. You did good." Summer tightly hugs her eldest daughter before giving her a kiss. "You are a strong girl Yang. Both in heart, mind, and strength. Never forget that. You are going to be a great huntress one day. Maybe even better than I."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. Both you and your sister are going to be amazing. And I can't wait to see that."

* * *

 **Years later**

She is wounded. A cut on her side bleeds steadily. Yang's vison blurs in and out as her aura fails to completely stop the bleeding. Yang shakes her head. She needs to stay awake. She cannot risk passing out in the middle of a Grimm horde. Not when her teammates need her.

Yang looks around. Many Grimm circle the forest. Some have fallen and started to disappear into thick, black smoke. Many more are still up and fighting. Most of them are small and fairly easy to take care off. A few are larger and give team RWBY a hard time but they are still manageable. But there is one that strikes fear in Yang. One that she doesn't know if they can handle.

The largest and darkest Ursa she has ever seen stands in the middle of the horde of Grimm. Is taller and wider than the Ursa Major Jaune fought in Forever Fall. It seems to be leading the horde of Grimm. Whenever someone gets close to it, it either roars them away or swipes its large, tree trunk like paw. Everyone is tired and out of breath. If only they can get rid of that Ursa. Things would be a lot easier.

Yang throws a punch at a Beowolf that comes soaring after her. Spinning on her feet she does the same to another dark wolf that thought it could sneak up on her. But that spin and punch agitates her wound. Pain shoots across her body and she collapses under it. Her blood lost is not helping at all. Everything is spinning around so fast she feels like she is going to throw up her lunch.

A scream catches Yang's attention. She snaps her head up to see the large Ursa heading towards the rest of her teammates. Ruby is trying her best to keep the beast back while Blake is helping Weiss to her feet. All three girls have wounds all over their bodies. Smaller Grimm have begun to circle them.

Any fear Yang has for the large Grimm disappears. Yang shoots up to her feet and hits herself on her wound. Her semblance goes on overdrive as she sends herself towards the last bit of Grimm. Everything blurs together into a mix of reds, whites, and blacks as she fires fiery punches at the dark creatures. She is not going to let anything harm her teammates.

The smaller Grimm run in fear away from the enrage blonde. But the large Ursa does not. It stands its ground and challenges Yang to a fight. It starts stepping closer towards Yang teammates. Before it can even become in an arm's length of the rest of the girls, Yang attacks it and throws as many punches as she can muster. The Grimm falls to the ground and does not get up.

Once she knows that no more Grimm will attack them Yang also falls to the ground, out of breath and aura. Her teammates run towards her. Ruby places her sister's upper body on her lap. "Oh god Yang are you okay?"

Yang nods rapidly. She can feel herself losing consciousness quickly. "I'm fine Ruby. I'm fine. Just…Just a little beat up. I just…I just need to rest."

"Rest Yang. We'll get you back to Beacon."

Yang gives one more nod before succumbing to the darkness that has been threating to take her under for a while. Days later, still recovering from that hard and long battle with the Grimm, Yang takes a stroll out in the courtyard. She finds a soft patch of grass that is next to a few white rose that have recently sprung up. Yang lays down next to them and gently touches the one nearest to her.

"I hope I'm making you proud Mom, even if I act reckless a lot." Yang says out loud to no one. The courtyard is large enough for her to have a little alone time by herself. "I've never forgotten what you told me all those nights long ago. I still get afraid, I still become nervous and worried even though I hide it as best as I can. I do it for them. Not only Ruby now, but for Weiss and Blake and everyone else that I have become close to here."

Yang plays with the white rose. It is soft and smells sweet, bring back childhood memories of her mother. Yang wipes away a few tears that have started to form in her eyes and smiles. "I miss you a lot but I'm still working to become a great huntress. I know you are watching over me and I do hope that one day I can become as strong and great as you were. Maybe even more, just like you said…I know I will because you said so."


End file.
